Comic-Con 2012: ‘Dexter’ Panel Report

Michael C. Hall shares his favorite Dexter kill as the cast looks ahead to season 7.

Near the beginning of this year's "Dexter" panel at Comic-Con International, Showtime unveiled the first two minutes of the seventh season which takes place immediately after Debra Morgan (Jennifer Carpenter) walked in on her adoptive brother, Dexter (Michael C. Hall) just as he plunged a knife into the Doomsday Killer's chest. Needless to say, it's an awkward situation that won't be resolved quickly.

Hall and Carpenter were joined by new cast member Yvonne Strahovski, "Dexter" showrunner Scott Buck and producer Wendy West as moderator Dalton Ross (from Entertainment Weekly) held court. One thing that was made clear very quickly was that Debra's discovery doesn't mean that she knows the full extent of Dexter's crimes. Carpenter mentioned that Debra's authority over Dexter may be the one card she has left given her recent romantic interest in her adoptive brother. Carpenter even joked about whether Debra would survive the season with what she knows.

Strahovski is joining the cast this season as Hannah McKay, a woman who will aid Dexter's investigation of a cold case murder. There have been some online rumors about Hannah's character which suggest she has some darkness in common with Dexter, but Strahovski didn't confirm or deny those reports.

When Hall was asked about his favorite Dexter kill, he said that it was the Trinity killer from season 4. But Hall jokingly added that the killings were "all my children" and that he loved them all. Buck indicated that the consequences of love will be the major theme of the seventh season as Debra struggles with her relationship with Dexter and Dexter himself will run into problems as his son, Harrison gets older.

Given the recent face-eating incident in Florida, the panel joked that this year will be the season of bath salts. On a more serious note, they seemed to reiterate that there will be no Trinity style Big Bad this season.

The panel noted that James Remar will reprise his role as the late Harry Morgan; who will appear to Dexter as usual and in some flashbacks to the childhood of Debra and Dexter. On a more ominous note for Debra, Carpenter indicated that her character feels profoundly lost after witnessing her brother commit murder. But as for Dexter, he's never been more comfortable with who and what he is.